{First Lady Jaqueline Kennedy}
let’s talk about the Salt Sack jacket.
If you’ve never heard of it, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Once a staple for warm-weather hunting, the Salt Sack was a lightweight, unlined hunting jacket designed to keep riders cool without sacrificing style or formality. It was breathable. It was elegant. It was functional. And then, somewhere along the way, it simply vanished…..here is the backstory.
The Salt Sack Jacket: From Feed Sack to Field Fashion
Like many of foxhunting’s best traditions, the original Salt Sack Jacket was born out of necessity, ingenuity, and a touch of rebellion against the status quo. While the exact origins are murky (likely lost in a whirlwind of tally-hos and well-lubricated hunt breakfasts), what we do know is this: the first iterations were quite literally made from repurposed salt sacks—those coarse yet breathable linen or cotton bags used to transport bulk salt for livestock and industry.
Back in the day, salt wasn’t just a kitchen staple; it was an essential commodity for preserving food, curing hides, and, most importantly, for horsemen, keeping their four-legged partners healthy. Salt was shipped and stored in durable sacks that, after being emptied, were far too practical to discard. Clever hands—perhaps a thrifty farmer, a resourceful stable hand, or a fox hunter tired of melting under layers of wool—cut, stitched, and tailored these sacks into lightweight jackets. The result? A no-frills, breathable coat that could withstand the rigors of long hours in the saddle without causing its wearer to dissolve into a sweaty mess.
While no single person is credited with designing the first Salt Sack Jacket (history is notoriously bad at keeping records on the unsung heroes of practical fashion), early versions likely came from rural horsemen in the southern and Mid-Atlantic United States, where the heat of early-season hunting made heavy wool coats a true test of endurance. Some say old hunt clubs had their own versions, hand-sewn by local tailors or even resourceful members of the field. Others claim the first Salt Sack Jackets were a foxhunting secret passed between those in the know—because no one really wants to admit they’ve been suffering unnecessarily for the sake of tradition.
For a time, the Salt Sack Jacket became the warm-weather hunter’s best-kept secret. However, as modern textiles evolved and ready-made jackets flooded the market, the handmade, salt-sack origin gradually lost to history. Wool and tweed reclaimed their throne, and the Salt Sack Jacket slipped into legend.
Until now.
Because let’s be honest—what worked for our predecessors still works today, just with a few modern upgrades. Chasing a Fox is busy. We are going to be rolling out the new and improved “Salt Sack.” The performance linen of today’s Salt Sack Jacket honors its practical roots: lightweight, durable, and perfectly suited for a gallop through the countryside with out the frumpled look of the old linen. The fox hunters of yesteryear would likely tip their caps at this revival, raise a stirrup cup in approval, and perhaps, with a knowing smile, mutter, “Took you long enough.” Subscribe to our email list to be the first to know when you can get your hands on one.
Tally ho, indeed.
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